When John Lennon sat his O-level art exam in 1957 “there was one question which said to draw something to do with ‘travel’. I drew a picture of a hunchback covered in warts. They obviously didn’t dig that.” Unsurprisingly, he failed in every subject, including art, his favourite and best. “There was obviously only thing one for it,” writes Mike Roberts in his new book; “art school.” This tart, illuminating anecdote sets the tone of appreciative wonder for How Art Made Pop (And Pop Became Art), a detailed, lively survey of the long, fertile and symbiotic relationship between pop music and the art schools, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. As Keith Richards, another art school alumnus, puts it: “In England, if you’re lucky, you get into art school. It’s somewhere they put you if they can’t put you anywhere else.” Richards’s alma mater was Sidcup Art College, which may sound comically … [Read more...] about ConsumerBusinessSpotlightConsumerBusinessSpotlightConsumerBusinessSpotlightConsumerBusinessSpotlightConsumerBusinessSpotlight How art schools created British pop music

The gender gap in pop music charts has nearly disappeared after string of hits by female singers, new data shows. British female artists such as Dua Lipa and Jess Glynne helped the biggest female artists of 2018 spend almost exactly the same amount of time in the top 40 as their male counterparts. The 10 biggest acts of 2018 spent a combined total of 638 weeks in the top 40 - 310 of which were songs by, or featuring, female artists. This made up 49 per cent of all songs in the charts, up from 35 per cent in 2017. American rapper Cardi B is the female artist to spend longest in the UK top 40 this year, clocking up 77 weeks in total thanks to songs such as I Like It and Girls Like You. Close behind was Dua Lipa on 67 weeks, followed by Jess Glynne on 59. US singer Ariana Grande, the artist who was performing at the Manchester Arena last year when it was targeted by suicide bomber Salman Abedi, spent 58 weeks in the charts. British singer-songwriter Anne-Marie spent a total of 49 weeks in … [Read more...] about Gender gap in pop music charts nearly closed after string of hits by female singers, new data shows

Paines Plough and Birmingham Repertory Theatre will bring their world premiere production of Pop Music to Derby Theatre on November 10. Written by award-winning Anna Jordan, the new play, which promises to be a night at the theatre like no other, charts two wedding guests’ rollercoaster journey through 30 epic years of pop.A wedding. A free bar. A blast from the past.G and Kayla’s lives are a mess but tonight they’re determined to have it large. As their veins course with adrenaline and cheap prosecco, we follow them on an epic journey through pop.Can the DJ save them as they become Dancing Queens, reliving their Teenage Dream, Staying Out For The Summer and Spicing Up Their Lives? Pop makes promises it can’t keep, and soon they’ll discover they have more in common than their taste in tunes. Writer Anna Jordan said: “Pop Music is a celebration of my love of – well – pop music! For years, I felt the need to hide just how lowbrow some of … [Read more...] about New play Pop Music hits the stage in Derby for one night only

‘PAINES Plough’ is renowned for both offering up new work and giving new takes on presentation. In Anna Jordan’s ‘Pop Music’ at the Birmingham Rep they offer both. Directed by James Grieve, it’s concept is simple – two drink-jaded people meet on the dance floor at the wedding of mutual friends and as they dance they open up to each other about their lives, as song lyrics and rhythms set off memories of the 80s and 90s. ‘G’ is played by Rakesh Boury and ‘Kayla’ by Katherine Kotz – both of whom are excellent in their respective roles – feeding off each other as the first one provokes a thought which sparks off a reaction in the other then the other returns the compliment. It’s a bit like a closely fought tennis match set to music. As the night progresses we discover they were at the same school – Kayla was a tough member of a girl gang who bullied G – G spent most of his time in solitude, … [Read more...] about A trip to the Birmingham Rep this week will have you talking about Pop Music